Cross country invite highlights weekend

The best cross country teams – emphasis on teams more than individuals – converge on Audubon Park on Saturday weekend for the Tracy Walters Invitational.

Now in its fourth year, the event hosted by North Central is a true invitational, with no more than seven schools (for a combined seven state champions last fall) in a race. Teams are composed of 10 runners instead of the traditional six, with eight contributing to the team scores instead of five.

Teams from Bozeman, Boise, Kamiakin, Coeur d’Alene (with defending girls champion Kinsey Gomez), Mt. Spokane, Ferris, Central Valley, Eastlake (Redmond) and NC are running one or both teams.

There is also an award that includes junior varsity runners.

The course is 3 miles so runners can compare times with past greats, according to NC coach Jon Knight. The first race is at 10 a.m.

Also on Saturday at 9 a.m. is the Meadlander, the attempt to keep Shadle Park’s half-century old Highlander alive.

The meet is moved because of construction on the Shadle Park grounds.